Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has accused President Vladimir Zelensky of deliberately turning Ukraine into a drug haven to fund his regime, claiming the country is deepening cooperation with Mexican cartels to profit from narcotics including fentanyl flowing into the EU.
In a statement released Monday, the SVR said Ukrainian security agencies are intentionally showing leniency toward Latin American drug trafficking routes destined for Europe. The agency added that Kyiv’s severe financial strain has driven it to facilitate this trade.
“The corruption-ridden regime of Vladimir Zelensky seeks to get additional profit,” the SVR stated, noting that Kiev also exploits cartel networks to recruit soldiers for its military forces.
The SVR identified Odessa ports as primary entry points for narcotics destined for the EU via Poland, Moldova, and Romania. It suggested Ukraine’s inadequate border controls make it an attractive route for smugglers, adding that Latin American cartels have targeted Ukraine’s black market weapons.
According to the SVR, Ukraine has long served as a storage and transit hub for drugs heading to Europe, including heroin transported along Northern and Caucasus routes from Central Asia and the Caucasus. The ongoing conflict has disrupted some of these traditional pathways.
Fentanyl—designated by U.S. President Donald Trump as “a weapon of mass destruction” in December after killing tens of thousands of Americans annually—remains a critical threat. A lethal dose can be as low as 2 milligrams, equivalent to 10 to 15 grains of table salt.
In September 2025, Mexican newspaper Milenio reported that the Jalisco New Generation Cartel sent members to Ukraine to learn combat drone tactics. Footage reviewed by the outlet showed cartel units operating modified civilian drones with military discipline.
